Cleome Plant named ‘Inncleosr’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Cleome  plant named ‘Inncleosr’, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Cleome hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Inncleosr’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Cleome, botanically known as Cleome hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Inncleosr’.

The new Cleome is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely-branching Cleome cultivars that flower for a long period of time and have attractive flower coloration.

The new Cleome originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2002 in Gensingen, Germany of Cleome hybrida ‘Linde Armstrong’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary seedling of Cleome hybrida, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Cleome was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Gensingen, Germany during the spring of 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Cleome by cuttings in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany since December, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Cleome are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Inncleosr has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Inncleosr’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Inncleosr’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Cleome:

-   -   1. Upright and compact plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Purple-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Cleome differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Linde Armstrong’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cleome are not as compact as plants of         ‘Linde Armstrong’.     -   2. Plants of the new Cleome have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Linde Armstrong’.

Plants of the new Cleome differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cleome are more compact than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Cleome and the male parent selection differ         in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have         pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Cleome can be compared to plants of ‘Robspivio’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,969. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Cleome and ‘Robspivio’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cleome were more compact than plants of         ‘Robspivio’.     -   2. Plants of the new Cleome were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Robspivio’.     -   3. Plants of the new Cleome flowered for a longer period of time         than plants of ‘Robspivio’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Cleome, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Cleome.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Inncleosr’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Inncleosr’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif. during the summer in one-gallon containers and under commercial practice in an outdoor nursery with day temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 38° C. and night temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 24° C. Plants were pinched and had been growing for two months when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Cleome hybrida ‘Inncleosr’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Cleome hybrida ‘Linde Armstrong’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling of             Cleome hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at 15° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 12 days             at 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 20 days             at 15° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Herbaceous perennial. Upright and compact             plant habit; inverted triangle. Freely branching habit; when             pinched, about three primary lateral branches each with             about three secondary laterals develop. Vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height.—About 48 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 39 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 35 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; compound, trifoliate.         -   Leaf length.—About 8.5 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 10.5 cm.         -   Leaflet length.—About 6.5 cm to 7 cm.         -   Leaflet width.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Leaflet shape.—Elliptical.         -   Leaflet apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Leaflet base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaflet margin.—Entire.         -   Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely             pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             143A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A;             venation, close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 147B.         -   Leaf petiole length.—About 8.7 cm.         -   Leaf petiole diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Leaf petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely             pubescent.         -   Leaf petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 146A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single zygomorphic flowers arranged in             loose indeterminate terminal racemes; flowers face upright             and outwardly. Freely flowering habit with about 24 to 28             open flowers and about 45 flower buds per raceme.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period. Plants             flower continuously from April through October in             California. Flowers not persistent.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about three to four             days on the plant.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Color: Close to 77B to 77C.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 10 cm to 12 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.3 cm.         -   Flower height.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically four in a single             whorl. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Roughly             spatulate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             satiny. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 77B.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 77C. Fully opened,             upper surface: Towards the apex, close to 77B; mid-section,             close to 77C; towards the base, close to 75D. Color becoming             closer to 78B with development. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 77C to 77D. Color becoming closer to 82B with             development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.             Color, upper surface: Close to 146B. Color, lower surface:             Close to 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Angle: Upright to about 30° from vertical. Strength: Strong;             flexible. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 148A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Angle: About 30° to 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong;             flexible. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 183C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to             145C tinted with close to 183C to 183D. Anther shape:             Lanceolate. Anther length: About 4 mm. Anther color: Close             to 151A. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 2 cm. Stigma shape:             Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 183C. Style length: About             1.8 cm. Style color: Close to 183C. Ovary color: Close to             145C.         -   Fruits/seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Cleome. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Cleome have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Cleome. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Cleome have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct Cleome plant named ‘Inncleosr’ as illustrated and described. 